Kubba Mosul (كبة موصل) — Thin Iraqi Bulgur-Meat Discs with Spiced Filling

• 300 gfine bulgur (use fine grade, not coarse cracked wheat)
• 350 glean beef (trimmed of sinew and minced twice, or ground very finely)
• 1medium yellow onion (grated and squeezed of excess liquid)
• 10 gkosher salt
• 1.5 tspground allspice
• 0.75 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspground black pepper
• 120 mlice water (for kneading and keeping the paste supple)
• 350 gground lamb
• 1large yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 40 gblanched almonds (slivered)
• 40 graisins
• 2 tspIraqi baharat
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 0.5 cupchopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 lwater

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the fine bulgur in a bowl and cover it with 500 ml of cool water for 20 minutes. Drain it through a fine sieve, then press firmly with your hands to remove excess water so the kubba shell will bind instead of cracking.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium heat and add the chopped onion for the filling. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and lightly golden but not browned hard.

3. 3

   Add the ground lamb to the skillet and break it into fine crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meat loses its raw color and most of the moisture has evaporated.

4. 4

   Stir in the Iraqi baharat, cinnamon, 6 g kosher salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, almonds, and raisins. Cook for 2 minutes to bloom the spices, then remove the pan from the heat and fold in the chopped parsley before cooling the filling completely.

5. 5

   Put the drained bulgur, lean beef, grated onion, 10 g kosher salt, allspice, cumin, and 0.5 tsp black pepper into a food processor. Pulse in short bursts for 3 to 4 minutes, adding the 120 ml ice water gradually, until the mixture becomes a smooth, sticky paste that clings together.

6. 6

   Transfer the shell mixture to a chilled bowl and knead it by hand for 5 minutes. This kneading is a classic kubba technique because it develops the elastic texture needed for the very thin Mosul-style discs.

7. 7

   Divide the shell mixture into 12 equal portions of about 64 g each and divide the cooled filling into 6 equal portions of about 105 g each. Keep a small bowl of cold water nearby so you can dampen your fingers while shaping without adding excess liquid to the dough.

8. 8

   Set one portion of shell paste on a sheet of parchment paper and pat it into an 18 cm circle about 3 mm thick. Spread one portion of filling over it, leaving a 1 cm border, then pat a second shell portion into another 18 cm circle and lay it over the filling.

9. 9

   Seal the edges by pressing all around the circle with damp fingertips, then smooth both sides so no filling is exposed. Repeat with the remaining portions to make 6 large Kubba Mosul discs, and chill them on trays for 20 minutes so they firm up before cooking.

10. 10

    Bring 3 l water, 18 g kosher salt, and 1 tbsp neutral oil to a gentle simmer in a wide pot. Slide in 1 or 2 kubba discs at a time and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once carefully, until the discs are firm and cooked through.

11. 11

    Lift each disc out with a wide slotted spatula and drain it on a tray for 3 minutes. Serve the kubba hot as whole discs or cut into wedges so the spiced lamb, raisin, and almond filling is visible.